American as Apple Pie (Grade Please)

I'd like you all to meet Ami Gibbs, my great-great-great-grandfather. He was born on American soil, as were his kids, and their kids...and as was I. Ami worked hard in this country just like the rest of my ancestors, just so their descendants could live a happy life in "The Land of the Free". But I never really appreciated all the work my family has done for me, so although part of this blog post is obviously for my grade in English class, it's also dedicated to all of my family who have worked so hard for me to be happy

When people ask me about my heritage, I refuse to tell them I'm American. I usually recite a giant list "well, I'm German, and English, and Swedish, and French..." and the listeners usually get bored and annoyed.

Also, I always brag about how my parents grew up in Belgium, and although they truly did, they were born in AMERICA;they went to AMERICAN schools, shopped at AMERICAN stores and had AMERICAN friends. I guess don't want to be seen as "trailer trash" from America, I'd rather be seen as the one of the romanticized Europeans.

In relatively recent history, being American was a good thing, it meant living in a country where you were free to your own religion, sexuality, opinions etc. But things change, and that includes global relations. Soon enough other people's views on America have become more negative. People assuming that we eat nothing but fast food, sit on our couches and watch football. I don't want to be associated with that stereotype (I try to say this without coming off as being racist towards Europeans, which would defeat the purpose of this assignment).

My opinion on my own culture has been negatively impacted by these foreign views. With this attitude, I've been marginalizing myself, and valorizing Europeans by pretending to be associated with them. Sure my family is from Europe...it's just that they haven't been from there in nearly 200 years. Instead, I should be proud of my American culture and the diversity of my lineage.